Sunderland snatch a point in N17

Ben Davies netted his first Spurs goal for over two years but it wasn’t enough to earn us the win as Sunderland hit a late equaliser on Sunday afternoon.

The Welsh defender was on hand in the first half to give us the lead on what was his first start of the season – his first goal since scoring in the 4-2 defeat at Brighton on 28 December, 2023. However, the Black Cats levelled with 10 minutes remaining through Brian Brobbey as we had to settle for a point in an entertaining encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The draw in our opening home match of 2026 took our unbeaten Premier League run against Sunderland to 15 matches and leaves us 13th in the table.

Thomas Frank made two changes from the midweek draw at Brentford, Davies and Mathys Tel coming into the team, with Djed Spence and Joao Palhinha dropping to the bench. Sunderland named our former Academy players Dennis Cirkin and Romaine Mundle in their squad, Cirkin starting while Mundle came off the bench in the second period.

We took just 60 seconds to launch our first shot on target, Tel testing Robin Roefs in the Sunderland goal with a low 20-yard drive which he gathered at the second attempt, while Pedro Porro tried a cheeky 40-yard lob from the right flank on eight minutes which went a couple of yards over the bar. Richarlison then dragged a shot which Roefs saved easily as we started very much on the front foot.

We were forced into an early change when Mohammed Kudus had to go off injured, replaced by Randal Kolo Muani on 19 minutes but continued to be the dominant team and went close again when Tel curled just wide with a right-footed effort. It was no real surprise when we took the lead right on the half hour mark. Tel’s deep corner was controlled by Cristian Romero, he laid off to Micky van de Ven whose shot was turned home inside the six-yard box by Davies, a lovely moment for our long-serving defender.

Sunderland responded with their first effort at goal in the 37th minute, Trai Hume latching onto a loose ball and fizzing just over the bar from 25 yards, before Richarlison was well wide with a bicycle kick from Kolo Muani’s cross as the half drew to a close.

The second period opened with a chance for the visitors, Eliezer Mayenda with a header which was straight at Guglielmo Vicario before Davies made a goalline clearance after Hume had beaten Vicario to Simon Adingra’s cross. The Welsh international then got the merest of touches to deflect Brobbey’s fierce drive onto the outside of the post as the Black Cats started to exert some serious pressure.

We had a few attacking opportunities without quite making the most of them – Richarlison’s ball cut out when Kolo Muani was unmarked in the middle the best of them – while Adingra curled wide at the other end. The closing stages started to get edgy as we looked to hold onto our narrow advantage while Sunderland stepped it up again and hit the post in the 79th minute through Enzo Le Fee’s powerful downward header. But they levelled it up just moments later with a well-worked goal, Nordi Mukiele playing a square ball in to Brobbey on the edge of the area, he laid off to Le Fee who passed first time back into the Sunderland forward and he took a touch before rifling past Vicario.

That sparked a frantic finish as both sides went for the win and we almost snatched it deep into stoppage time but Joao Palhinha’s glancing header from Pedro Porro’s cross was just wide as it ended all square in N17.

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Davies 30; Sunderland – Brobbey 80.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Bentancur, Palhinha; Sunderland – Cirkin, Alderete, Le Fee.

Referee: Stuart Attwell.

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Weather: Sunny and light winds, one degree.

Attendance: 60,877.